Vacuum-sander.



0. A. PRATTE.

VACUUM SANDER;

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1am.

' Patented Apr.16,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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C. A. PRATTE VACUUM SANDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. m1.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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CHARLES A. PRATTE, or DENVER, coLonAn AssIGnoR or ONE-HALF T0 ,CRIS-SEY J.

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VACUUM-SANDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. as, rare.

Application filed June 29, 1917. Serial No. 177,704.

1 '0 all whom it may concern. Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Pnn'r'rn, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city nd county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum-Sanders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n vacuum air sanders, more especially adapted for use in connection with locomotiveson railways. My present construction consists in connecting a number of air nozzles d1- rectly with conduits mounted on the sand box of the locomotive and projecting thereinto, being open at both extremities and extending both inwardly and outwardly from the box. The outer extremities of these conduits are equipped with the air nozzles which are vertically disposed and downwardly di-.

rected. The partial vacuum produced by the air rushing through these nozzles at right angle to the'axes of their conduits, causes the sand to move outwardly from the sand box through the conduits and into the path of the air from the nozzles, which then drives the sand downwardly through relatively long pipes which deliver it to the track rails in the vicinity of the locomotive drive wheels.

An important feature of my present invention consists in equipping the inner extremity of each conduit, above its sand in let, with a chamber which is formed by threading into the conduit a tubular member whose lower extremity is open and whose upper end is closed. This chamber performs an important function in the operation of the sander as I have demonstrated in practice. 7

Having briefly outlined my improvement" I will proceed to describe thesame, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which i illustrated an embodimentthereof.

In this drawing: Figurel' is an outline side elevatlon of a equidistantly spaced around the locomotive equipped with my vacuum sanding apparatus. 1

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through a sand box equipped with my improved congtrtction. This is a section taken on the line -a being shown on a much larger scale.

F 1g. 3 is a section taken through one of the conduits connected with the sand box. This section is taken on the line 33, Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow, the parts being shown on a still larger scale. In 1thls wow the sand box is also shown in sec ion.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the sand box which is mounted on top of the locomotive 6 in the usual position, the sand box being of usual or ordinary construction except for Fig. 1, looking downwardly, the parts the fact that it is equipped with my improvement, which will now'be described.

4 As illustrated in the drawing, the sand box is provided with four openings 7 which are p box, which is clrcular in cross section. Througheach of these openings is passed a conduit 8 which is threaded at its innerand' outer extremities, as shown at 9 and 10. The inner extremity of each conduit member 8 is equipped with a downwardly'turned elbow 12, whose lower extremity is open and occupies a position a short dlstance above the bottom 13 of the sand box.- In order to regulate the length of the downwardly extending portion of this elbow it may be provided with an adjustable nlpple 14, which is threaded thereinto and capable of vertical adjustment for the purpose stated. A all sand boxes are not of uniform depth it may be necessary to regulate the length of the downwardly extend ing arm of the elbow in order that its lower extremity may occupy the proper position with relation to the bottom of the box, in order to remove the sand therefrom to the best advantage. These conduits are so arranged in the box and upon the ame, that tom of the box, since the vacuum pull, incicent to the use of the air nozzles, as hereinafter explained, must be sufficient to draw the sand upwardly from the bottom of the box.

he elbow 1-2 is provided with an opening directly above the adjustable nipple-let, said opening being interiorly threaded to receive the lower extremity of a tubular member 4,

which extend above the elbow, its upper 621- conduit through the medium of the nozzle,

as hereinafter explained in. detail, the air i sdra wnfrom the said chamber and acts in an important way to cause the sand to'travel from the box throughthe conduit.

The outerportion- 10. of the conduit mem her 8 passes through the opening 7 in the Wall of the sand box. To the inner surface of this wall is applied a gasket or rubber washer 15, and to which is applied a metal washerlfi, the latter being in turn engaged by a securing nut 17 which when screwed tightly against the adjacent washer holds the washers 15 and 16 securely inplace and forms a tight joint around the opening in thewallof the box, through which the conduit member passes. The outer part of the threaded portion 10 of the conduit is also equipped with-a washer'lS, which engages theouter surface of the wall. of the sand box. It will be understood that the washers 18 and 16 must have their inner surfaces curved to conform to the curvature of the circular wallof the box, in order tofit the same, closely. Applied exteriorly to the conduit member 8 is an approximately spherical member 19, which is threaded upon the outer extremity of the member 8 and screwed tightly against the washer 18. This member 19 has an opening 20 which registers withtheopeningof the conduit member 8, to receive the sandwhich passes outwardly therethrough from the sand box. Thev member 19 is also provided with a bottom. opening 21 from which leads a downwardly extending sleeve 22 into which is threaded the upper end of a pipe 23 which leads downwardly to the track eitherin front or rear of the locomotive drive wheels 24.

It will be rmderstood that each ofthe conduits mounted on the sandbox. and com V posed of the parts above explained, is substantially identical in construction, so that the'description of one is a descrlption of all. It will be also understood that the sand issuing from two of these conduits, z. 0., the front pair, will pass through two conduits 23 downwardly 'to the track in front of the locomotive drivers, while the sand which passes out of the box through the two other conduits, will pass "downwardly through other pipes 23 to the track in the rear of the drivers to be utilized when the locomotive is backing. Each part 19 is provided at the top with a relatively small opening 6% which has a sleeve25' extending upwardly therefrom into which is screwed a threaded portion 26 of a nozzle 27. This nozzle also has an upper, threaded portion 28v which is. threaded into: the lower member 29 of a two-part feature, 30,. itsco operating part 31 being connected with the part 29 by means of a couplingmember 32". This feature, composed of parts 2.9:.and 31, contains a chamber 33 into which the upper tapering extremity 34 of the nozzle 27. pro;

jects. Into the upper extremity ofthe feature 30 is screwed an air. pipe 35 which is in. communication with the main pipe-3,6 connected with theair for supplying the air, brakes of the train. The lower portion of the nozzle 27 is relatively long; and tapers downwardly, its lower extremity passing below thehorizontal center of the member 19 and, being directed toward the center of the pipe 23.

The passage throughthe nozzle27. isrelatively small and theair, as-it; escapes from the lower extremity thereof has sufficient force to produce a partial vacuum within the chamber of the member 19, of such strength as to draw. the sand 3- from the sandbox and cause the same-to travel, up

through the conduit member, 8 into the part 19, where it is acted upon. by thev downwardly directed air current and forced through the pipe 23. to the desired location, 0., the track rail. inproximity to oneof the. drive wheels, From the foregoing de". scription the use and operation of my improved vacuum air sander will be readily understood. 7

There are two pipes which supply airto the nozzles 27. Oneofthesepipes extends forwardly to a. branch, pipe; 35. If ity is desired to sand. the track in. front of. the front drivers 24 of the locomotive a valve 4L2 is opened'which allows 'the air to pass from the main pipe 43-through the; pipe 36 whose forward extremity. is-connectedwith the forwardly located branch pipe 35; while as a sanding .apparatus,-and this, together withits simiplicity and economy of construction makes it a highly'desirable device for the performance of the track sanding function.

By reference '-to Fig. E2 of the drawing it will be observed that the conduits mounted on the sand box are radially arranged and that their inner extremities extend into the central portion of the box. This is important for the reason that the sand in the central portion of a receptacle of this character is always dry, while; the portion adjacent the wall is frequently caked or hardened, due to the presence of'moisture or for other reasons; while in the center of the box no such difliculty exists, andby first removing the sand .from the central portion, that surrounding the center and nearer the wall of the box is more easily removed and brought under the influence of suction.

through the conduits Having thus described my lnventlon, what I claim is l. A sander comprising in combination with a sand box, a conduit passing through an opening formed in the wall of the box, one extremity of the conduit being located within the box and the other outside there of, the'inner extremity of the conduit having a chamber in connection therewith, the outer extremity of the chamber being closed, and an air nozzle mounted on the outer extremity of the conduit and arranged to discharge air across the axis thereof.

2. The combination with a sand box, of a conduit passing through an opening formed in the wall of the box, the extremities of the conduit being open, the inner extremity being located within the box, di-

' rected downwardly, and equipped with a communicating chamber closed at its outer extremity, while the outer extremity of the conduit is equipped with an air nozzle arranged to discharge air across the axis of the conduit for the purpose of producing the necessary partial vacuum to withdraw the sand from the box through the conduit.

3. The combination with a sand box, of an open ended conduit passing through an opening formed in the wall of the box, the inner extremity of the conduit being located Within the box, directed downwardly and equipped with a communicating chamher, the lower end of the inner extremity of the conduit being arranged in suitable proximity to the bottom of the box.

4. The combination with a sand box, of.

positions in suitable proximity to the bot- 'tom of the box and equipped with communicating chambers, the latter being closed at their outer ends, the outer extremities of the conduits being closed in the lines .of their axes and equipped with nozzles Whose axes extend across the axes of the conduits, the nozzlesv being in communication with air under pressure for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with a sand box, equipped with horizontally disposed conduits, both extremities of which are open, their outer extremities being equippedjwith air nozzles, whose axes are directed across the axes-of the conduits, the conduits being provided with means applied to the oppo-. site surfaces of the Wall of the box to form tight joints around the openings through which the conduits pass, the inner extremity of each conduit being equipped above its opening with a communicating chamber closed at its outer extremity.

6. The combination with a sand box, ha-v ing openings formed inthe wall thereof and suitably spaced, open-ended conduits passing through these openings, said conduits being longitudinally adjustable in the wall of the'box, means being appliedto the conduits on theoppositesurfaces of the wall to form tight joints around the openings, the

. inner extremities of they conduits ,being equipped with members vertically adjust able in order to bring the inner ends of the conduits in proper proximity to the bottom of the box, the outer extremities of the conduits being equipped with air nozzles Whose axes are directed across the axes of the nozzles, the outer extremities of the conduits being closed in the line of their axes.

7. The combination with a sand box, of conduits passing through openings formed in the wall of the box and suitably spaced in the circumference thereof, both extremities 8. A locomotive sand box equipped with an open-ended conduit, one end being lo cated' within the box and the other being equipped with an air nozzle whose axis is directed across the axis of the conduit, the inner extremity of the conduit having a communicating chamber closed at one end.

9. The combination with a sand box mounted on a locomotive and equipped with inner extremity of the conduit extending into the central portion of the box and being open to receive sand, and equipped with a' chamber closed at one end, while the outer extremity of the conduit extends beyond the sand box and is equipped with an air nozzle for suction producing purposes.

11. The combination with a sand box, of a plurality of conduits suitably spaced around i the circumference of the box and so arranged that their inner extremities which are open, extend into the central portion of the box and are equipped with communicatingair chambers, while'the outer extremities of the conduits extend beyond the box and are equipped with air nozzles, their outer e'x- Copies of this patent may be obtained for tre'mities being also open by Way of the nozzles and also opposite the nozzles for the inlet of the air and escape of the sand under the influence thereof, respectively.

12. A locomotive sand box, equipped with an open-ended conduit, one end being located within the box and provided With a vertically adjustable member, while the other end of the conduit is equipped with an air nozzle, whose axis is directed across the axis of the conduit.

13. A locomotive sand box, equlpped with an open-ended conduit, one end being located within the box and the other extremity being closed in the direction of its axis, the inner extremity of the conduit above the opening therein beingequipped with a chamber, whose outer extremity is closed.

14. A locomotive sand box equipped with an open ended conduit longitudinally adjustable therein, one end being locatedwithin the box and equipped with a vertically adjustable member, the other being equipped.

with an ai nozzle whose axis is directed across the axis of the conduit;

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES A. PRATTE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). 0. 

